St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-13

charitable institution known as Bethany
home. This charity was started as private
enterprise, and has done great and good
service among unfortunate females Its first
object was to reclaim fallen women and upon
this ground 1t had set aside to it by the city
half of the fines imposed by the municipal
court upon prostitutes. From this time the
solicitation of contributions from those
charitably disposed appears to have been
dropped, but the private character OF the in
sttution has been maintained until this day.
During two of my terms as mayor, as ply
sician and executive of the city, l have had
occasion to send many prostitutes who were
Frustrated by sickness to this institution.
Nearly all of them have been denied admis-
sion, the reason being given that the institu-
ton was too full of patients to allow of their
admission. know personally of several dozen
women who, being pregnant, and mailing from
Localities in Wisconsin, Iowa and Dakota, and
various sections in this state, have applied for
and been admitted as patients in the home.
Most OF these women came to this city to give
Dlrth to children, and were prepared, when
they left my professional Office, to pay their
expenses until they were able to return to
their homes.
From the letters they brought me / know
they were the victims and miStreSSe3 OF men
who were able and had provided for their ex-
penses II they passed the trying ordeal In
Bethany home and had their expenses paid
out OF moneys derived from the taxpayers of
this city the management has been grossly
imposed upon. For the month OF March the
city council voted $500 of the taX-ridden peo-
pies money to the support of Bethany home.
The supervisors of the poor at their last meet
ing, in accordance with q very liberal
rangement previously made, approved a bill
for four women, and fourteen children placed
in the home by their orders. for the month of
March for 1851. This makes 1851 for the
support OF four women and fourteen children
at this institution for the month of March.
III the peoples money is to be expended in
this reckless manner, there is no good reason
why the Catholic and orphan homes in this
city, which contain several hundred infants
and children, should not receive a proper
tiOnate amount. In my opinion the time has
come when this Sectarian method of spending
money from the public treasury should cease.
From this time forward let the taxpayers
know the facts as to how many who may criti-
else my acts in this case have ever or will now
put their hands in their own pockets and help
maintain Bethany home. I have officially
visited the home and know whereof speak.
IN CONCLUSION
the mayor recommends that an ordinance
prohibiting opium smoking be passed, that
afternoon concerts be given in the public
park, that eight hours be made days labor
IN city work, and 81 80 per day the minimum
wages, and that hereafter the contract system
be abolished, where the city can have work
done by its own mechanics. The message
closes with congratulations upon the politicaI
complexion of the council and the expression
OF the hope that peace and harmony might
exist between the legislative and executive
branches of the municipal government.